RACEHORSE CAPITAL.
24TH AUGUST 2005
I wasn't sure where, and in truth I really didn't care, I just wanted to ride and try it out.
Besides, it would do the bike good to get a few kilometres on it as well.
I left early morning and headed up the putty road, which is always a nice ride, but especially so during the week, when the race bike tossers aren't out trying to kill themselves.
The sun was up and I stopped for a nice cuppa, a bacon and egg roll, and a chat at the 'Half Way House Cafe'. I then moved on deep into the Hunter Valley wine region (Banjo country!!).
I was in no rush, and couldn't open the bike up until it was run-in anyway.
This was great, and I just poodled along, taking in the sights and having fun.
I had a great day meandering the countryside and finally stopped for the night in a town called Scone. I didn't know it then, but Scone is the racehorse breeding capital of Australia.
The whole town and surrounding district is dedicated to horse, horse, and more horses.
Oh.... and some cattle thrown in for good measure.
Scone is 283 kilometres North of Sydney and 26kls north of Muswellbrook. August is winter in Oz, but in New South Wales that (usually) means nice blue sunny skies, short days and cold nights. I had already received the first two, and the third was absolutely correct when I froze my tits off, walking back from the pub to the motel. When I got up in the morning, everything was covered in a layer of ice, including my poor brand new bike.
Scone claims to be the second-largest horse breeding area in the world (after Kentucky in the United States of America). The horsy focus of the town is shown in many ways:-
* There's a ten-day Scone Horse Festival in May, when there are street parades, a rodeo, stock sales, an air show (flying horses??), race meetings and entertainment (singing horses??).
* A six-week Hunter Horse Expo held over September-October.
* The new hi-tech racecourse with its Equine Research Centre (Horse Doctors??).
* Last but not least, the bronze sculpture, 'Scone Mare and Foal' by Gabriel Sterk, prominently situated beside the highway in Elizabeth Park.
"Scone the throws" I said to myself. "All this stuff on my doorstep, and I didnt know it".
The first European in the area was surveyor Henry Dangar who, in 1824, passed by the area just west of the present town site. He crossed over the Liverpool Range, but retreated when attacked by the local Aborigines (wise). News got out about the area when he told all his mates, and Francis Little was the first man to settle here a year later (things were slow in those days).
The oldest building still standing in Scone, is the St Aubins Arms Inn (had to be a pub didn't it?). This was also the scene for Scones only bushranger incident.
Apparently.....
In 1840 bushranger Edward 'The Jewboy' Davis and his gang (The Jewboy Gang) held up the St Aubins Arms and Thomas Dangar's store opposite. Edward Davis has the distinction of being the only Jewish bushranger in Australian History. John Graham, an employee of Dangars's store, shot at the gang when they were leaving, then set off to alert the police. However, he was pursued and killed by one of the highwaymen.
The gang hid in the hills but got caught when they broke their Yom Kippur fasting and had to come down for some Kosher take-away food.
Ok... Ok.... Ya caught me.... I made that bit up........
Anyway.... The robbery made them high profile, and they eventually did get caught. They were then sent back to Sydney for trial. Found guilty they were then executed (Death by Pork Pie at 20 paces).
Scone was gazetted in 1837. The name was suggested by Hugh Cameron and received a favourable hearing in the ears of fellow Scotsman Thomas Mitchell (surveyor-general).
29 AUGUST 1737 - 13 MARCH 1821
The suburb of Hunters Hill, the John Hunter Hospital at Newcastle & The Hunters and Collectors pop group are all named after him.
OK... I lied about the pop group.
On the 5 Feb 1788 Johns crew (wiping sleep from their eyes), woke up, and rowed to shore to set about cooking John his breakfast (Kellogs Cornflakes, eggs and bacon on Tip Top 9 grain toast). They saw some local aboriginals on the opposite bank and waved them over. 7 of them came over for a chat in 2 canoes. They swapped storys, talked about the weather and tied beads etc. about them (as you did in those days). They then named the place Breakfast Point. Which it still is called today.
What a great name.
They clog the machines.
A 31 foot screen no less, and still in feet and inches; not metres.
I'm actually surprised its not measured in hands.
It is said the Rolling Scones played here in the 70's.
They said if they did a gig here, they would get a horse.
Apparently though a Rolling Scone gathers no hoss.
I should have brought a saddle blanket with me.
It replaced a bridge made out of Scones, whioch was only a Scones throw away.
I reserve the right to do that though, as most of the time I'm on drugs and sconed out of my mind.
Have fun............
